EXPERTS say artificial intelligence is not here to take jobs, but to enhance human effort as technology integrates into workplaces.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 2026 technology summit in Harare on Friday, the founder of CB Muchero Innovation Hub, Rutendo Muchero, said people must learn new skills to keep up with changes brought by AI.
“AI is not here to take someone’s job, but if you are someone who cannot upskill, obviously your job is going to be taken because you have to upskill so that you understand what AI is all about,” Muchero said.
“Much of the tasks are now AI-centered. So now it comes down to you, as an individual, to upskill so that you get a grip on artificial intelligence. If you don’t improve your skills, unfortunately, someone with better skills than yours will take your job.
“So what I expect people to go home knowing, obviously, the first things first, is how AI is built, like the structure of AI, and also they should know the different types of AI platforms that they can make use of and how to make use of them. Most people are well-versed with ChatGPT and Meta-AI, but we do need to know more about what really happens behind closed doors because AI is really here to stay, and there is no running away from it.”
Meanwhile, Internet Society Zimbabwe Chapter vice president Gladys Chibanda said their organisation was working to ensure that communities, especially in rural areas, are not left behind in the digital age.
“As the Internet Society, most of our projects are centered on people in marginalised communities, especially the rural areas,” said Chibanda.
“One of the things that we do is we partner with internet service providers to set up what are called community networks, which are shared hotspots in very remote areas, so that any individual who has a need to access the internet can do so freely and comfortably. We have also been doing a lot of training, especially with women, on how to navigate the internet and teach them basic computer skills on how to use the computer, turn it on, type, and surf on Google.”